Of Naps and Stuffed Animals
by PanopticBibelot
Summary: Two separate stories in one chapter. An extended drabble consisting of naps and fluff and a oneshot of a carnival game, moon-eyed coupes, and stupid, stuffed animals.


**Naps**

His love for naps when there were things that needed to be done bothered her. How could he sleep so peacefully when there were reports to write, treaties to decide, alliances to create? So much to do, such little time, and he'd spend it under a tree.

Temari shook her head but plopped down next to him, laying her fan horizontally before her.

He grumbled and rolled over, turning away from her. He would be asleep for a while so Temari took to the therapeutic task of polishing her fan. Wiping the cold metal down until she could see her reflection in the black surface relaxed her until she could feel herself falling asleep.

Shikamaru awoke to Temari's head on his chest. He knew she'd want him to wake her up, sleeping wasn't something she liked to do until it was late at night or early in the morning, when most of her work was done.

But these moments were when she was the cutest. All the guards and defenses she put up were stripped when sleep took her. She had taken her hair out of its usual four pony-tailed style and the gold tendrils splayed out across his torso like an ocean.

She'd definitely want him to wake her up. But this moment was so precious and rare and Shikamaru would like to bask in it for a little longer. He knew he could will himself to fall asleep again. Despite being well rested, if he closed his eyes and focused on how comfortable he was, he'd be fast asleep.

But he patted her back and mumbled "Wake up."

Temari snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arm around his middle. "No" she said, burying her head into his chest.

After a moment, he was asleep again.

* * *

**Stuffed Animals**

She wasn't the happiest volunteer at the carnival. Behind the beanbag toss booth, her frowns kept away potential players, mostly couples. And it wasn't until a child cried that the organizer of the event pulled Temari aside to scold her.

"If you didn't want to come here, you shouldn't have volunteered. You can't keep scaring away customers, okay? So you march your ass back there and put on the widest smile you can manage."

Temari weakly (and awkwardly) smiled, to spite him. He shook his head and sighed. "Better than that. Think bright! Think cheerful! Come on, you're having fun! You're at a carnival!"

Which was the last place she wanted to be. Couples at every corner, goo-ing up everything with their mush mouth kisses and puppy dog eyes. They were sharing cotton candy and flirting openly as if they were the only ones in the world. Disgusting.

Temari needed volunteer hours for her school and that was the only reason she was here, the only thing keeping her from burning down this stupid, stupid love fest.

"Welcome to the Beanbag Toss. Five dollars for five tosses. You get one stuffed animal for each time you make a bean-bag in the corresponding bucket." Her tone was monotonous and her smile was not infectious, it didn't stop anyone in their tracks, and the couple that had come to the booth looked genuinely concerned for her wellbeing.

The couple left with four stuffed animals, the girl hugged them all in her arms and kissed her boyfriend shamelessly. "Aw, thanks babe!"

Temari gagged and rolled her eyes while the pair pranced off to probably make out in the Ferris wheel. She doesn't understand why winning the stuffed animals were such a big deal. It was as if they were a symbol that validated your love. Like if your partner didn't win/buy you one, your relationship isn't real and therefore, it should end. Temari guesses having four stuffed toys boded well for this couple's relationship. "Have a nice fucking day." She said to their receding figures.

"That wasn't very kind." Shikamaru stepped up to the booth and handed her five dollars.

"What do you mean? I wished them a happy day." She slid the bean-bags his way, wondering why he was even bothering with this stupid game. Wondering why he was even here.

"Your tone was harsh."

"Oh then…Have a nice fucking day!" Temari said happily.

"Better."

"Why are you even here?" The irritation seeped back into her voice.

He shrugged. "Ino made Choji and I come."

"Where are they?"

"Choji is at the pie eating contest and Ino stayed to give him moral support and Pepto-Bismol."

"Ah."

Shikamaru lazily chucked the bags at the buckets. Only one made it in and Temari asked him which stupid, stuffed toy he wanted. "Any's fine," he said and she randomly pulled an animal from the rack and handed Shikamaru the teddy bear that clutched a pink heart that beheld the words "Kiss Me" in red stitching.

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Is this an invitation?"  
Temari smiled. "Duh. The bear is clearly instructing you to make out with it."

Shikamaru pecked its nose and dropped it unceremoniously on to the counter of the booth. It fell sideways and bounced, almost falling off the edge.

"A modern romance," Temari said, actually smiling as she lifted the bear up and placed it the properly in front of Shikamaru. "There."

As Temari and Shikamaru chatted, another gooey couple stepped up, paying the five dollars. The girl giggled endlessly as her boyfriend wrapped his hands around hers and aided her in the tossing of the beanbags. Temari rolled her eyes.

They got all five bean-bags in each bucket and the girl jumped up and down, clapping her hands, kissing her beau.

Temari shook her head and Shikamaru curiously watched her; she was making a big show of sighing and shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

Temari handed the happy couple their stuffed animals and the boy snorted at Shikamaru's lone one. When they left, Shikamaru turned to Temari.

"You hate couples that much?"

"I don't necessarily hate them. I just hate how they act."

"How?"

"They act stupid for each other. It's like their brains turn to mush when they look at each other and all they want to do is let the world know that "see that person? I love them" and I think that's annoying."

Shikamaru looked down at the stuffed animal he had won and picked it up by its ear, playing with it. "You hate giving them the prize, too, right?"

"Well, yeah. They make a big deal out of it. Like having a stuffed giraffe AND dog makes their relationship strong. It's just a toy."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

He stayed with and helped her pack up her booth. Ino had called him, telling him that Choji was runner-up but only because the winner has some metabolism condition which is "totally cheating, I tell you!" The two were trying to walk off all the calories that Choji had racked up in that one sitting.

"I'm going to have to leave soon." He said to Temari as he helped her put all the materials into boxes.

"Okay." She stacked all the boxes into a tower then stood back to admire her work. "Okay." She said again. "Well I'm done here so I think I'll walk with you, is that fine?"

"Yeah sure, do you need a ride?"

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all."

"Okay then."

In the car, Shikamaru drove while Temari sat in the passenger seat. Ino and Choji were in the back, Choji was clutching his stomach and groaning.

"We should complain." Ino said, fishing through her purse for an Alka-Seltzer. "I mean, if someone has a medical condition that gives them an advantage, then they should be stopped from joining the competition. Or the other contestants should have at least gotten some sort of handicap."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You just wish Choji won."

"He should have."

When they reached Temari's house, she thanked Shikamaru and stepped out of the car. When she shut the door, Shikamaru rolled down the window and called her back. "Here," he said, handing her the stuffed bear that held its heart in his hands, begging anyone to kiss it.

"I think you should have it."

"But – "

"Just take it."

Temari nodded, said thanks again, and walked into her house.

In her room, she dropped the animal on the floor and when she was changing into her pajamas, it managed to get under her bed. At the time, she felt that she couldn't be bothered to pick it up.

But at 1 a.m., when she was still awake, she sighed and leaned over her bed, reaching underneath it, grasping for the stupid bear. She pulled it out and placed it next to her, staring at the bright red command that glared at her in her dark room.

Temari shook her head and kissed its nose just like Shikamaru had done before. Then she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

**I was supposed to post this on Valentine's Day. Idk what happened guys, sorry. Anyways, I have nothing against mushy gushy couples. I only have a problem when they're like making out everywhere. Or when their holding hands in a crowded hallway and expect me to walk around them. Split yourselves and let me walk through.**

**...I'm probably bitter.**

**Anyway, here you go, review please.**


End file.
